The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-06-04
THE BLUE HENS EGGS.
An Old Fellow who was Much Taken
with New Species of Chickens.

"Wall, fur mercys sake, look thar,
pap" said woman, dressed in faded
calico and dim gingham. The old fell
low stopped and the woman polluted at
a lot of colored eggs which had been
left over from Easter. and which the
grocer had temptingly arranged in
front of his store. Look thar" the
woman repeated, pointing at the eggs.
''They air new wrinkle on my
hon." said the old fellow, taking up
one of the eggs and examining 1t.
"These here, :" he added. addressing the
grocer who approached, muster been
laid by one NV the ole blue hens
chickens"
"They are direct descendants from
the old blue hen, sure enough tho
grocer replied, who showed an accomo-
dating quickness to tell lie, either
through courtesy or with an eye to
business.
"You don't say so."
Eyes. sir, and bought them for Mr..
Garland, who sent me word some time
ago to get him fewif Ipossibly could"
"Wall, Gus ought to know whut good
chickens air."
"He undoubtedly does"
"Wall, I've heard about the old blue
hens chickens all my life, but this is
the fust time l ever seed any NV the
aigs."
"They are not very plentiful now,'
said the grocer. "In fact, they are
bought up by the agents of monopoles
and sent North for the use of rich rail-
road men,"
1.-The chickens, reckon, lay over the
common run Of fowls"
Gas much, sir, as day lays over
night"
"Whut special advantage have they
gotp"
"Well, they lay three times day,
for one thing
''Now, look here. you don't mean
that"
81 reckon he do, pap" the woman
declared. II know in reason that he
do, fur Aunt Caroline Welsh that had
some in Moth Kliny, told me jest befo'
she died that they wuz the outlayenist
things she ever seed, an says she: 'Ev-
erline, do b'lieve that the aigs is
fresher than the aigs NV these here COM
mon chickens.
"She was right" said the grocer.
"Mr. Garland tells me that the eggs
will keep for years without spelling,
but" he added, laughingly. "if he don,
mind he will find that they don't keep
so we'll after all, for if he doesn't come
after them pretty soon I'll sell them.
A business man can't afford to let his
money lie idle, you know"
"That's fact" the farmer replied
"Now, whut mout they be wuth?"
"Well, l hardly know. Where dc
you live?"
"On Saline river, about two days ride
from here
"Do you come to town very often"
"Fust time wuz ever here"
II thought that if you came to towr
very often l might engage you to bring
me lot of the chickens when they
hatch. Tell you what I'll do. I'll lie
you have all six of them for sixty cents. y
, "Ain't that putty heavy pricep"
, 40, no, pap" said the woman. "Jos
) think NV chickens that lay aigs-fresl
, ones at that--thrce times n day."
81 "All right" said the old fellow, haul
ing out the toe of an old sock and shak
ing a few dimes from it; ''I'll take 'em
, Shore they'll hatch?"
"Hatch! Why you can cover ther
t up with an old straw hat and they
: hatch. Much obliged. Well, call again.
When the grocer went back into tn
t store, he slapped himself, laughed up
l roariously and then said:
| ut may be wrong to cheat this way
l but 1 don't believe that we are calle
+ upon to have sympathy for such ignoran
people; and, besides, honest old farme
3 as he looks, he'd cheat me in minut
: if he could"
8 Several weeks later an old fcllo'
Q drove up to grocery store and asked
o man who came out to the curbstone
Q he wanted to buy any guinea chickens
"Fresh as they ken be an alread
cleaned" said the old fellow.
"What do you ask for them?'
o "Wall. don't know whut they al
wuth. You see they air mighty bi
i ones"
y Eyes, 1 see. How many have yo
: got?"
: Fifteen"
"There is not much sale for guineas.
"They oughter be wuth ten cents
piece, oughtent they?"
The grocer, with shrewd hesitanc,
Q replied: II don't know. Well. driy
round to the back door and put thel
o out"
g Immediately after receiving his none
y the old fellow drove down town, anG
u with woman who seemed to be hi
u wife, was standing on street corner
d when the grocer who had bought til
y guineas rushed up and exclaimed:
"You are lying old wolf, that
o what you are?"
y "Whut's the matter?"
ri "You sold me lot of buzzards, yo
q old wretch, and / lam going to have va
= arrested if you don't give me back NJ
IS money. One of my best customer
IS bought one and then, discovering VIII,
it was. struck me over the head with
L and then left the store"